China Olympic Ceremony Little Girl Mimed (Real Singer Wasn't Pretty Enough)

[ginger9]

These are letters to the editor at National Post (a Canadian paper) in response to this topic. I did not pick and choose the responses, these are as is printed in the paper.

Re: Crooked Smiles Disqualified, Bruce Arthur, August 13.
National Post Published: Thursday, August 14, 2008

Let's not be so morally condescending and judgemental of China for the vanity of replacing a child performer on the grounds of not being beautiful enough. As despicable as the deception was, the West is not without similar sins -- it created and still holds beauty pageant contests. There appears to be a desire to find the slightest error to degrade the success of the organizing of the Games --is there a gold medal for jealousy?

Bill Flores, Oakville, Ont.

Beijing and Hollywood: two of a kind
National Post Published: Thursday, August 14, 2008

I can't understand Bruce Arthur's self-righteous indignation over Lin Miaoke lip-synching to the voice of 7-year-old Yang Peiyi. He called this "the pinnacle of deceit." Why such extreme umbrage?

Lip synching is nothing new in show business, and let's face it, that opening ceremony was just that -- a show. Hollywood has been faking it for ages. Marni Nixon, for example, providing the singing voice for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady back in 1964. Nobody made much fuss over that.

In other words, I see little difference, if any, between Beijing's fakery and that of Hollywood. The only concern I have for this particular manipulation is the hurt Yang Peiye must have felt at being told her voice was fine but her face was not.

Patrick Tee, Westmount, Que.

 

[darkishstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAC_Whore Not that it would be any better in principal, though.

Of course not, but they would avoid a scandal of hurting a little girl's feelings.

I just would think that any little child being talented enough to sing would still be charming enough, her looks wouldn't really matter. I can't imagine what the Chinese government did to that official (?) who leaked that info to the press. Good for him for doing the right thing, but yeah... can't imagine.

 

[darkishstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratmist Or to avoid it getting leaked to the press. One wonders how this got leaked out in the first place.

I can't imagine what the Chinese government might have done to the person that leaked that info.

 

[Divinity]

If the instrument/orchestra moves you, is magical, or sounds beautiful, the beauty is in the talent. Nobody is thinking about what the musician looks like and in the end, should it matter? Shameful...

 

[MAC_Whore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkishstar I can't imagine what the Chinese government might have done to the person that leaked that info.

It probably won't be pleasant.

Whilst we can look at the whole lipsynching issue and how China's Communist gov't and western gov'ts might effectively do the same thing (promote the prettiest picture), though in different measures (lipsynching v. picking a pretty child with a pretty voice), this is where we come to the fork in the road:

In the west, this info gets out and is discussed and debated. In China, someone gets the smackdown for speaking out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger9 .....There appears to be a desire to find the slightest error to degrade the success of the organizing of the Games --is there a gold medal for jealousy?....

These two guys have good points, but I have to disagree with that line /\. I will never be jealous of Communism or it's theatrics.

 

[Shadowy Lady]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissChievous I thoroughly enjoyed the opening ceremonies, they were some of the best ones I had seen in a long time. It was extremely innovative and had an element of surprise to it. I think they did a tremendous job with it.

I agree with this. I was also kind of saddened coz I don't think there is any way in hell we (Canada) can top this in 2010

I don't like the negative publicity the Chinese are getting. They did a great job; my jaw was on the floor the whole time I was watching the opening ceremony. Very well done

 

[miss_cinday]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratmist The Atlanta Olympics, following the model set forth by the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, used no public money to finance the games. The Games cost US $1.8 billion to stage. Governmental funds were used for security, but not for the actual Games themselves. To finance the games, Atlanta relied on commercial sponsorship and ticket sales, resulting in a profit of $10 million. So um. Wow. $1.8 billion. I wonder how much of that was for the opening ceremonies.

It was estimated that in March 2008, the cost of the Olympics to China was 58.5 billion dollars and expected final costs is 65 billion dollars. 300 million was used alone just for the opening ceremony and people are still suggesting it cost way more than that.
I love watching the games but seriously cant stand the way the chinese govt is trying so hard to make themselves look so perfect and extravagant. Maybe hoping this will mask their horrible political policies.

 

[Mabelle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowy Lady I agree with this. I was also kind of saddened coz I don't think there is any way in hell we (Canada) can top this in 2010 I don't like the negative publicity the Chinese are getting. They did a great job; my jaw was on the floor the whole time I was watching the opening ceremony. Very well done

i think/hope that canada will handle the olympics with class and without little decitful tricks. I would like canada to focus on the actual point of the olympics; all diffrent countries comming together and celebrating their best in a harmonius fashion. I would be so embarassed if it turned into a plea for the world's admiration. I don't want them to try and make us look bigger and better than anyone. Canadians are a modest people, thats how we should represent ourselves, with quiet dignity.

 

[animecute]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratmist Idly, I wonder how much we spent on the 1996 Atlanta games.... I mean, I remember it was a lot. Ah, Wikipedia gives a few references to this (1996 Summer Olympics): - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Atlanta Olympics, following the model set forth by the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, used no public money to finance the games. The Games cost US $1.8 billion to stage. Governmental funds were used for security, but not for the actual Games themselves. To finance the games, Atlanta relied on commercial sponsorship and ticket sales, resulting in a profit of $10 million. So um. Wow. $1.8 billion. I wonder how much of that was for the opening ceremonies.

Well over here in Canada, the money is going to the 2010 olympics...

Quote:

Originally Posted by yujia727 what's the point of critising all this after we all enjoyed the fabulous openning ceremony.. They did everything they could to try to please the audience. i just felt like all the international media are taking their time on being super picky on the ceremony just because it's CHINESE!... i'm so over this ..

Yes I argee! China doesn't have those western customs. Their views are different. They want to make everything perfect for everyone and bring honour to the country. If they didn't, I bet people would be complaining that it would look shitty or something (well some people). I think people don't realize China is trying to "westernize" even more, but Rome wasn't built in a day. I think they're trying hard to understand, but they're not educated or raised that way to fit into western culture and customs, imo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadowy Lady I agree with this. I was also kind of saddened coz I don't think there is any way in hell we (Canada) can top this in 2010

And a lot of money is being spent here to prepare for that. A lot of money is being invested in tourism. The weird thing is everyone is all hyped up for Vancouver, but most of the stuff is gonna be done in the mountains and stuff in Whistler OO. False advertisment, much? lol and now everyone's gonna think Canada is a country with lots of snow and Santa and stuff LOL. (It barely snows in Vancouver)

 

[fafinette21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by animecute And a lot of money is being spent here to prepare for that. A lot of money is being invested in tourism. The weird thing is everyone is all hyped up for Vancouver, but most of the stuff is gonna be done in the mountains and stuff in Whistler OO. False advertisment, much? lol and now everyone's gonna think Canada is a country with lots of snow and Santa and stuff LOL. (It barely snows in Vancouver)

But still, no better place for the Winter Olympics than Vancouver/Whistler, eh?

It doesn't help Canada's image when we are like top 5 in medals in the Winter Olympics and then we disappear in the Summer Olympics, probably makes people think we live in igloos lol. I don't get that though, do the winter athletes get more funding? Or maybe just winter sports have more of a draw here so we get a better pool of talent?

I'm looking forward to 2010, calling for another Men and Women's hockey sweep with the gold. That day was amazing. I definitely shed a tear lol

 

[pink_lariat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissChievous I thoroughly enjoyed the opening ceremonies, they were some of the best ones I had seen in a long time. It was extremely innovative and had an element of surprise to it. I think they did a tremendous job with it.

I Agree. China did a spectacular job with the opening ceremony, extremely creative. I enjoyed it very much.

 

[alienman]

I thought the ceremony was quite a spectacle. That being said, I do feel bad for BOTH the girls. One got swapped out at the last minute because she wasn't pretty enough while the other was the Phoebe of the Smelly Cat music video.

Am I the only one creeped out by that girl's fake smile, though?